A PhD student at the University of Oxford has won the 2005 final of Perspectives, a national competition to design a poster exploring the social and ethical implications of scientific research. Nicola McLoughlin, 25, designed and presented a poster on her research studying three and a half billion year-old rocks from Western Australia.
The competition finalists presented their posters over two days at the annual British Association Festival of Science, held this year at Trinity College Dublin. Ms McLoughlin asked visitors to consider the central role geologists will play in the ethical and theological questions that will follow if we find life on other planets. When scientists are successful in bringing rocks back from other planets the methods they will use to search for evidence of life will be similar to work being done on ancient rocks and could raise significant questions about religion and the place of humans in the universe. Ms McLoughlin’s research is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council.
Ms McLoughlin said, "I thoroughly enjoy communicating my science to the public as it really brings me back down to earth. I have benefited immensely from funding that ultimately comes from the taxpayer and I feel I owe it in return to explain and communicate my science to the public. I also hope that through Perspectives I can help to encourage state school pupils to apply to Oxbridge to study science."
The competition, organised and sponsored by Research Councils UK, was designed to give young researchers the opportunity to gain the skills and experience needed to discuss the social implications of their research - something that all scientists are now asked to do. The winner of the competition received £500 and 5 runners-up received £250 each. The winner of the ‘people’s choice award’, given to the researcher whose poster received the most votes from visiting members of the public, received £100.
Professor Ian Diamond, Chair of Research Councils UK Executive Group, commented, "Scientists are increasingly called upon to communicate ethical and social issues that arise from their work. The Perspectives competition has given young researchers the opportunity to learn skills that will help them to engage with the public throughout their scientific careers. I would like to congratulate all the entrants on the high quality of their posters and their genuine enthusiasm for talking to the public about their work."
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Notes for Editors
Perspectives was open for applications from May 2005. 35 young scientists were selected to take part and attended workshops in July held at the Dana Centre in London.
The posters were displayed at the BA Festival of Science at Trinity College Dublin from 5-9 September. The BA Festival of Science is one of the UK's biggest science festivals. It attracts 400 of the best scientists and science communicators from home and abroad who reveal the latest developments in research to a general audience.
The researchers answered questions from members of the public, researchers and the media at several sessions during the week.
The judging panel was made up of prominent scientists and science communicators, including: Simon Singh, Jim Al-Khalili, Sara Abdulla, Steve Rayner, Brian Trench, Timandra Harkness and Sir Walter Bodmer.
About Research Councils UK
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the partnership between the UK's eight Research Councils.
The Research Councils run several cross-council multidisciplinary research programmes and are the main public investors in fundamental research in the UK. Through RCUK, the Research Councils are working together to create a common framework for research, training and knowledge transfer.
The partnership is led by the RCUK Executive Group, which meets monthly and comprises the chief executives of the eight Research Councils. The Group is currently chaired by Professor Ian Diamond, chief executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.
The eight UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
- Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC);
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
- Medical Research Council (MRC);
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
- Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council (PPARC).